AusBonsai

This Buddleja saligna was not dug but picked up during our Kai's annual dig in February 2009. I believe it landed on the side of the gravel road while the farmer was scraping the dirt road. Luckily it was a very rainy season so the tree survived on the side of the road. This is a picture of the tree September 2009.
This is the tree after a cut back in December 2009:
Here is the tree in March 2010:
The one big canopy was no good so I have decided to do pads within pads with this one:
This is the tree October 2010. The pads within pads is coming along nicely:
I am continuously building the pads within the canopy by clip and grow technique. I will not dare to wire the branches for sharp bends again because they break easily when you try and bend it.

January 2011 update to follow soon.

Any advice and comments welcome.

Lennard

Hi Lennard
I like what your doing it has a African Savannah look, if you had pot that gave you the same savannah look it would add to it.
Barry

Yes, the tree will get another pot when it is finished. It should have still be in it's training pot but doing bonsai for only 2 years now, over eagerness made me repot it in the only big pot I had. Training pots on my new shelves don't look good .
I am thinking of using a African clay pot design for the tree.

http://www.ezakwantu.com/Gallery%20Afri ... 20Pots.htm

Lennard

The tree is coming along nicely:
I have removed the one back branch and reset some of the pads.

The three dimensionality of the tree can only be viewed in real life - maybe I could do a 360 degrees of the tree one day when it is finished.

Lennard

Thanks for the progression Lennard! Was the pot locally made?
Ash

Ash wrote:Thanks for the progression Lennard! Was the pot locally made?
Ash

Yes. One of the Kai's members is a potter and he makes most of the pots for the members of our Kai.

Here is another one he has made:
Lennard

An update:

The tree end 2011:
Any comments still welcome.

Lennard

Hi Lennard,

Tree looking superb!
I can really see the same vision as what Barry mentioned "African Savannah"

Dont really like that straightish branch coming across the front of the tree (right to left in picture), i understand why it is there, i like what it does with the canopy, but feel the branch is a distraction from the trunk line. It may just be the photograph, but it takes up most of my attention in that trunk region. May be completely different if i saw it in the bark.

Not so fussed on the "white-ish" decorative pebbles on top. They draw the eye far too much for my liking. Something more in tune of say an African Savannah would blend in better, make the tree and pot far more dominant.
Only a couple of small issues though I M Novice O

Great progression in a couple of years though lennard, would take pride of place on my benches.

Well done

Dave

deepeetee wrote:
Tree looking superb!

Dont really like that straightish branch coming across the front of the tree (right to left in picture), i understand why it is there, i like what it does with the canopy, but feel the branch is a distraction from the trunk line. It may just be the photograph, but it takes up most of my attention in that trunk region. May be completely different if i saw it in the bark.

Well done

Dave

Thanks Dave.

You are right about that branch. I went outside with my cutters just now but could not get myself to cut the branch.

When I styled the tree in the beginning I knew that branch as well as a few other straight ones will have to go in future......if I had done that then the tree would have look now just as good.......or even better.(The grammar of the last sentence....?)

I think I will enjoy the tree as is for this season and do a restyle in spring.

Lennard

lennard wrote:

deepeetee wrote:
Tree looking superb!

Dont really like that straightish branch coming across the front of the tree (right to left in picture), i understand why it is there, i like what it does with the canopy, but feel the branch is a distraction from the trunk line.

Dave

You are right about that branch. I went outside with my cutters just now but could not get myself to cut the branch.

Lennard

Gone!
Lennard